Chateau de Firbeix

While laying the concrete for the terrace around the barn, we're also going to dig and pour the foundations for the extension. This is because we need a pump to deliver the concrete over the far side of the barn and it is expensive to rent so makes sense to get the terrace and foundations poured the same day. We also needed machinery to level the ground around the barn and bring in several tons of hardcore to raise the gable end of the barn as the land slightly slopes away from the chateau. The same machinery (a small JCB digger) dug the extension foundations. They wouldn't let me have a play with the digger but I did fit the rebar to re-enforce the foundations. More pics in the next few days once it is all poured and we've recovered!

With the shorter days and plenty more shutters to paint, and now the barn has doors and windows so is water and wind tight, I've fitted temporary lights and also power sockets. The power line and fuse box was fitted in the Autumn when the new sewage pipes were fitted. We also put in a water line at the same time.

I love to see the Snow Drops flower, makes me think Spring is not that far away 😉🤞 and they are everywhere

In a previous post, I showed the atrium in the PMR gîte being plastered. When we got back from Switzerland after New Year, we had to finish sanding the joints, paint the walls & ceiling, stain the oak beams and fit the light feature. We had a strict time constraint as the plasterers were returning to collect the scaffolding. Once that was taken away there would be no further work possible. Working on their scaffolding took some getting used to as it all shakes and bends slightly. Knowing my dislike of heights and especially ladders, this was going to be a test for me! To make things worse, I had to use a step ladder on top of the scaffolding to reach the high points and finish the electrics for the lights. It is probably 8m from the floor to the top of the ceiling (scaffolding to about 4m) so I consider I've made some steps to overcoming my hatred of heights. We'll see on the next project involving ladders! Today they removed the scaffolding and the lights can finally hang ...

After a lot of preparation work around the PMR gîte, mainly involving digging to level the ground, today the concrete was delivered to raise the living room floor to the same level as the other ground floor rooms and lay the terrace and path slab. All three areas came to 9.5m3 which is the largest load so far. Everyone was up between 8 and 9am and we were finished by 11, very exhausted as it is quite intense work over a short period but it looks great. Heavy rain overnight but it remained dry all day and should set enough by the morning. And a brief video taken by Em showing the huge concrete pump arm going over the gated wall and most importantly the electric cable between the chateau and the gîtes.

We had to get professionals in to plaster board and joint the atrium area. Firstly because it is a huge open space and our scaffolding is tall enough but couldn't work around the beams and the different floors levels currently on the ground floor. We need to now catch up and finish plaster boarding the other wall of the bedroom and bathroom. We will have a large multi light statement piece in the atrium as it is such a big and open space. We will paint the plaster board but likely not until the new year. The plasters agreed to leave their scaffolding until we're finished painting and the lights installed.

It's been bitterly cold these last few days and it snowed Monday, gently early on then very heavy later on, only for an hour 30 minutes or so .